PTI protests at Islamabad park against poll body over verdict in foreign funding case

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 4 : Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) protesters gathered at Islamabad's F-9 park on Thursday to protest against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on the call of party chief Imran Khan.
Decked in red and green scarves and bands, the crowd raised slogans against the poll body demanding the resignation of all its officials, the Dawn reported.
Earlier, in the day, the PTI lawmakers assembled outside the electoral watchdog's office in Islamabad and registered their protest.
The protesters included PTI leaders Faisal Javed Khan, Fawad Chaudhry, Pervez Khattak, Asad Umar, Azam Swati, Shibli Faraz, and Kanwal Shauzab among others, reported Dawn.
The submission of a memorandum against Raja and his role as the CEC came right after the ECP's August 2 verdict in PTI's prohibited funding case.
In the August 2 judgment, it had declared PTI to be a "foreign-funded party". Imran and his party members had rejected the decision, calling it "illegal and unconstitutional".
Blaming the CEC for being biased, the lawmakers stated "From the investigation to its verdict, the case is surrounded by severe doubts," the memorandum stated, adding that Imran Khan had also, on multiple occasions, expressed his reservations with the ECP and the CEC.
It also alleged that the verdict of the poll body was influenced by the CEC's meeting with the coalition parties last week.
Ahead of the protest, PTI chief Imran Khan said, " "Today, I am calling all our people to come out in [a] peaceful public protest against the CEC and ECP in F-9 park at 6 pm. I will be addressing the gathering between 7-7:30 pm."
However, Islamabad authorities denied the PTI's request to stage a protest against the ECP at the nearby Nadra Chowk and suggested F-9 park and H-9 ground as alternate venues.
According to Dawn, Section 144 had been imposed on all kinds of public gatherings in the federal capital including in and around Red Zone on July 23.
In a statement, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah claimed yesterday that the government had received information that the PTI was planning to create an "anarchic situation" outside the ECP, warning of stern action in case of any violence or attempt to cross the "red line".
The show cause notice issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on prohibited funding to PTI is likely to put Imran Khan's leadership in danger as the funds received by the PTI chief from foreign countries including the US, UAE, Australia and UK could lead to several numbers of cases against the party.
The move by ECP came right after it was revealed that the money received from the foreign countries was used by Khan to fund PTI and he made false declarations in 2018 before the elections.
The ECP in its decision issued a show-cause notice to the PTI, as to why the prohibited funds may not be confiscated as confiscation of the prohibited funds is the domain of the ECP.
The foreign funding case is pending since November 14, 2014, and it was filed by PTI founding member Akbar S Babar who had alleged that there are some financial irregularities in the PTI's funding from Pakistan and abroad.